APRC- PLUM BLOSSOM CARD

[dicernthetruth]

Any APRC holders please let us know.

My APRC says: "This certificate shall be revoked if its holder has failed to reside in the Taiwan area for at least 183 days per calendar year..."

Thanks Jimipresley. My APRC plum card did not mention that but I don't know why immigration officer asked me to stay 183 days. strange!!!!!!!!!

[cheers7]

I got my Plum Blossom card for senior professionals over 2 years ago. In the back of the card, it stated that I must stay in Taiwan at least 183 days a year to keep the card. About half a year after I got my Plum Blossom card, I got a new passport (as the old one had expired), so they issued me a new Plum Blossom card (with the new passport number). The new Plum Blossom card did not mention the 183-day requirement. About two-three months ago, I went to the immigration office and asked if the 183-day requirement was still in place, and he said it did. (I am not sure if the officer was very knowledgable about this issue). So I am confused about this 183-day issue. Does anyone have any latest information?

As I mentioned in my previous post, according to govt website, there is no 183 days restriction. However, my immigration officer said opposite. In my APRC plum blossom, there is only one sentence.

" The holder of this certificate does not need to apply for a reentry permit to reenter the ROC" that's it.


Is there 183 days restriction mentioned on regular APRC's back of the card?

Any APRC holders please let us know.

The govt website on the link you provided is dated 2009. I first got my PB card after that, in the middle of 2010, but back of the card did mention the 183-day requirement, so I wonder how true the content of that website is. It is only when I got my renewed PB card in the beginning of 2011, the card did not mention the 183-day requirement.

[spaint]

Any APRC holders please let us know.

My APRC says: "This certificate shall be revoked if its holder has failed to reside in the Taiwan area for at least 183 days per calendar year..."

Thanks Jimipresley. My APRC plum card did not mention that but I don't know why immigration officer asked me to stay 183 days. strange!!!!!!!!!

He probably doesn't know because he's never seen the thing before. That, or the residence rules are as hazy and open to immigration officers' interpretation as the rules for obtaining one are.

[delieadalish]

EDIT!!! Sorry, my bad I didn't know there was any difference between the plum blossom card and the regular APRC. FOr your information this infor (right down there) is for the APRC the regular one. Has any APRC holder gotten their APRC in the last 3-6 months, can they look at the back of their card and see what it says? Because the officer I talked to was talking about the regular APRC, I assume it must then apply to both of them now? And perhaps they changed it for the plum blossom first. I will be going to the immigration office this week so I will try to ask and get officer names to go with the confirmed information for everyone.

(Original post)Actually, I just spoke with immigration about this and the office told me the policy has changed. Now you may leave for longer and you do not need special permission up to a year possibly 2. You just need to email them every 4-6 months asking nicely for them to not cancel your aprc while you're away. Longer than that you will probably lose your residency unless you can provide a good reason for not coming back. Even then you could come back for 6 months and then wander off again for a year (in theory)

[Rotalsnart]

Actually, I just spoke with immigration about this and the office told me the policy has changed. Now you may leave for longer and you do not need special permission up to a year possibly 2. You just need to email them every 4-6 months asking nicely for them to not cancel your aprc while you're away. Longer than that you will probably lose your residency unless you can provide a good reason for not coming back. Even then you could come back for 6 months and then wander off again for a year (in theory)

This is big news. You're talking about the normal APRC, right, not the Plum Blossum APRC? If so, this is a very welcome development, and probably deserves its own thread.

[delieadalish]

This is big news. You're talking about the normal APRC, right, not the Plum Blossum APRC? If so, this is a very welcome development, and probably deserves its own thread.

My very own thread!!! WANT

[afterspivak]

Hello everyone,

Back in October 2012, I assembled a pile of documents to apply for an APRC Plum Blossom Card. This was before the change in the APRC requirements and I was hoping to secure permanent residency without the hassle of a police check back home. It's been such a while since I submitted my documents that I had given up hope that my application was going anywhere. I'm happy to report though that Mr Cheng from the Taipei City office called today to say that my application was approved! I was told to wait for him to call me back once the card has been issued, perhaps in a couple of weeks. Permanent residency, here I come!

Guy

[finley]

Without divulging personal details, would anyone who currently holds (or has been approved for) a Plum Blossom Card care to outline what it took to get one? I mean, specifically, what did you have to offer to your adopted country?

[afterspivak]

Hello Finley,

While I do not yet have the card in hand, I can certainly let you know what I included in my application. Along with the required documents (application form, health check documents, copies of passports and current ARC, etc), I also included details about my professional activities (I'm an associate professor in the humanities): education background, employment history, a list of publications, two distinctions I've received from Taiwan's National Science Council (the major research funding agency here), plus a university-level teaching award. I also included a short corroborative letter from the current section head of the National Science Council to back things up. The friendly agent at the Taipei Office, Mr Cheng, was skeptical that the Plum Blossom committee would entertain an application from a humanities researcher and educator--but it appears that it went through!

Guy

[ehophi]

Nice political rhetoric, though! They didn't say flatly: "Come to Taiwan for tax-deductible overseas pay, talented so-and-so's, as we could not find sufficient talent on our own island, despite our many universities."

Where have I seen meritocratic citizenship rights tried before? I think it starts with an 's' and ends with an 'ingapore.'